Skip to main content

Same-Sex Marriage Policies Linked to Lower Suicide Attempts, Study Says

By U.S. News & World Report

As governmental and public support has shifted in favor of same-sex marriage in the U.S., research published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics now links policies legalizing same-sex marriage and lower adolescent suicide attempts.

For people between 15 and 24 years old, suicide is the second-leading cause of death, with sexual minorities experiencing an even larger risk possibly due to stigma, according to a news release.

Researchers analyzed state-level Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data for 1999 through January 2015, looking at approximately 763,000 teens before the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the U.S. in June 2015, The Washington Post notes. The self-reported data was collected by asking teens if they had attempted suicide one or more times in the last year.

The authors juxtaposed changes in public high school student suicide attempts from both before and after 32 states legalized same-sex marriage to those in 15 states that didn’t allow same-sex marriage.

Prior to same-sex marriage policies, 8.6 percent of all high school students and 28.5 percent of sexual minority-identifying students said they attempted suicide. The results showed that same-sex marriage policies were linked to 0.6 percentage point dip in suicide attempts, or more than 134,000 fewer adolescent suicide attempts. This indicates a 7 percent decrease among high school students claiming to have attempted suicide in the past year.

Still, gay, lesbian and bisexual teenagers attempt suicide at a rate four-times higher than straight teenagers, according to the Trevor Project. Another study from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that 30 percent of transgender youth said they attempted suicide at least once.

Mark L. Hatzenbuehler of Columbia University notes in an editorial along with the study that there are also other factors at play.

“… Numerous laws and policies affecting sexual minorities remain openly contested, including lack of protections related to students’ sexual orientation (and gender identity) in harassment and/or bullying laws, which are currently covered in only 19 states and the District of Columbia,” Hatzenbuehler wrote in the editorial. “Studying these and other laws in future research will provide important information regarding the generalizability of the results of the study by [author Julia Raifman] and colleagues.

The study’s limitations include that the data is self-reported and the authors couldn’t account for socioeconomic status nor malleable state characteristics such as religious affiliation or sexual minority acceptance. It also doesn’t look at possible causation.

“As countries around the world consider enabling or restricting same-sex marriage, we provide evidence that implementing same-sex marriage policies was associated with improved population health,” according to the study. “Policymakers should consider the mental health consequences of same-sex marriage policies.”

The authors also called for more research to study the connection with sexual minority rights, stigma and sexual minority health.

How Social Workers Help Your Health

9 Things to Do or Say When a Loved One Talks About Taking Their Life

More from U.S. News

How Social Workers Help Your Health

9 Things to Do or Say When a Loved One Talks About Taking Their Life

10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids’ Health

Same-Sex Marriage Policies Linked to Lower Suicide Attempts, Study Says originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote